Drowth tolerant maize #nigeria

The
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
has embarked on some researches to produce
drought-tolerant maize to boost agriculture in the
country.
Dr Sylvestro Meseka, a maize breeder at the
institute, made this known on Thursday when he
addressed a group of scientists who visited the
institute’s research farm in Ikenne, Ogun.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
the scientists are Fellows of Bio-sciences for
Farming in Africa (B4FA).
Meseka said that the development of the variety
was imperative because of the effects of climate
change.
He said that the new maize seeds had the
capacity to resist and withstand any form of
drought that could plague the country.
``We are developing a maize variety that would
be good for farmers in the marginal rain areas,
particularly in the northern parts of Nigeria where
the rain pattern is too short. So, you need to have
some of these varieties there.
``We should not forget the fact that due to
climate change, the rainfall pattern has changed;
we are looking for more varieties that are not
only drought-tolerant but also tolerant to heat
stress,’’ he said.
Meseka said that the experiment was being
conducted; using the irrigation system of
farming, adding that the seeds would only be
watered for 28 days and left to germinate.
He stressed that apart from its resistance to
drought, the new maize variety was also resistant
to diseases such as stem borer disease.
He said that crops that were able to survive and
produce significant yield would be selected and
multiplied for further distribution to seed
companies.
Besides, Meseka said the institute would develop
flood-resistant crops that could withstand flood,
since floods had now become incessant because
of climate change and rainfall patterns.
On the various varieties of seeds developed and
released so far, the breeder said that 370 varieties
had been released this year, in collaboration with
the institute’s international and local partners.
He said that ``Hybrid and Open-pollinated
varieties’’ were some of the new seed varieties
that were released.